All In Fair War
by STRAYDOG92
Summary: AU Orihime rescue onward- A rescue mission from the visoreds is going to turn into a fight for one girl's life, and what happens after. Especially when she meets a certain blue haired espada and is put into a terrible situation involving him. GrimmjowxO
1. Chapter 1

Hi. So this is not my first story by any means, but it is the first one I've posted on fanfiction-net. Please bear with the first chapter, as it's kind of just intro and such. This story is VERY AU and it is GrimmjowxOC . Please enjoy, and reviews with constructive criticism are VERY welcome. Also, I don't have a beta….but one would be very nice.

Tipping my sunglasses away from my eyes, I looked around the bus station. This was Karakura town? Well, I'd seen bigger. I let my bag down onto the concrete beside me, and sighed. "Where are you, Shinji?" I murmured to myself, though I was going through the spiritual pressures of all the people at the terminal. Most were minutiae, but I could sense who I wanted and he was getting closer to me.

I only had to wait another two minutes before a familiar blonde appeared out of the crowd. He frowned at me, narrowing his eyes as he walked over to me and grabbed my large bag from the ground. "You're late Hiroko Mikazuki," the visored informed me flatly.

"Had to get in one more round of training," I shrugged, shouldering my two smaller bags and following him as he started walking. "Besides. How badly can you really need me? You have that substitute soul reaper here, right?"

"His training isn't going as planned. I wanted you here to help with that," Shinji growled, glancing at me from the corner of his eye. "But I understand you were busy with training of your own."

I nodded in acquiescence. "That I was." I ran my fingers through my newly sheared dark violet hair. "You should've come. He would've trained you as well I think."

"I don't need an old man to teach me to become one with my inner hollow so that I can pass for one of these 'arrancar.' And I certainly don't need to learn to change shape. Tell me, has your other form become any more impressive than a small-"

"-Don't even go there," I snapped, stopping when he did at a car. He tossed my large bag in the trunk and I threw the others in the back seat. "And don't be jealous because Hiyori dragged you away to this town to find your new visored."

"She's not happy with you," Shinji retorted, getting into the car as I did. "She was completely furious when you elected to leave us, and she's not much happier now-"

"-She's not my mother," I interrupted, staring out the window. I turned to Shinji slightly and smirked. "And she sure as hell doesn't tell me what to do anymore. Not after three years of being her bitch."

The blonde visored chuckled. "Are you sure she knows that?" we were driving away from the bus station, toward a more deserted part of town.

"I don't know. Has she found someone new to boss around yet? The substitute perhaps?" I smiled out the window as a playground passed by.

"You know her too well," Shinji finally laughed. "But seriously, you've been well? I missed not having you around, Hiro. And your hair! Why is it so short?"

I laughed loudly. "I just decided one day to chop it off," I informed him, shrugging.

"Did you do it yourself?" Shinji reached over and grabbed one of the short strands. The longest barely touched the top of my shoulders. My bangs were still long, though, and hung over my dark red eyes.

"Shut up!" You're such a dick!" I told him, smacking his arm away. He was finally pulling up to a large warehouse. I sighed. "What is it with you people and moldy buildings? Why can't you get a hotel?"

"Because that would make us noticed," the man grunted, getting out of the car. He grabbed my large bag and I followed with the smaller ones, frowning slightly. I knew the kind of reception I was likely to get from Hiyori.

Sure enough the small blonde girl came running out of the building with a scowl on her face. She lunged at me but I avoided it, blinking and stepping away from her. "Nice to see you too," I muttered, eyebrows raised.

"Why'd you come back?" the small girl screamed, kicking me in the shin and making me yelp. "We don't want you here, Hiroko! We were fine without you-"

"-We talked about this, Hiyori," Shinji sighed. "We need Hiro here because of the threats from the arrancar. Things have been getting worse lately. We all know that. So stop being such a bitch," he rubbed the back of his head and sighed.

"Shut up, Shinji!" Hiyori snarled, but I was already walking past her and toward the others. I greeted them quickly before looking around the warehouse. Great place. I could still hear Shinji and Hiyori arguing, but I was barely listening. Instead I found a corner and piled my stuff around me before sitting on the floor and staring out at the floor in front of me. I was tired and before I knew it I had dozed off.

"WHY ARE YOU ALWAYS SLEEPING?" someone screeched from beside me, just as a kick was delivered to my face.

I gasped and was jolted awake, opening my eyes to see Hiyori above me.

"The arrancar are attacking and you're sleeping through it! WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU?" she was aiming for my face again.

"Sorry!" I yelped, rolling away from her and getting to my feet. "I was tired! And you know I'm a heavy sleeper!" I yanked on my black boots, unsure of what was going on. "What's happening? Are we under attack?" I dodged a punch from Hiyori and pulled a pink hoodie on as well. She punched me again but this time separated the soul from my body. I didn't wear a soul reaper's uniform, but still my hoodie and shorts.

"Yes! Shinji has gone out to fight one of the arrancar. I want you to go out and make sure he doesn't need any help!" She kicked me again, making me howl.

"Stop hitting me!" I shrieked, grabbing my sword from the floor. "I'm going, I'm going." I tapped one of my feet on the ground and twirled my Awaitsume in my hand. "I'm going," I growled, dodging her again and running out of the warehouse. I ran down the street, seeing explosions to my left. I flash stepped to the roof and leaped to another one, kneeling slightly as I kept my red eyes trained on the fighting. I could sense immense spiritual pressures, and I recognized one of them as Shinji.

It took me only a few more seconds to reach Shinji's location, but that was enough time for the battle to be over. I saw a blue haired, one armed man facing Shinji, panting and looking angry. When I noticed the mask fragment on his face I realized he must be one of the arrancar. Another one appeared beside him, this one pale with black hair and a helmet like mask. Both of them had impressive spiritual pressure.

"We're done here," the pale one concluded, his gaze sliding to me. I stayed where I was, head tipped to the side as I held my sword in my hand. The both of them disappeared into a gargantua and Shinji took a step back.

"Ichigo. Are you-" he began, but the orange haired visored was on his feet finally.

"Why were they here?" he snarled, looking around wildly. "Shinji-"

"-Calm down, Ichigo," Shinji muttered, his mask dissipating into the air. "Come back to the warehouse. We'll-"

"-I'm going to see the others!" Ichigo yelled, taking off with a black haired girl at his side.

"What just happened here?" I asked, approaching Shinji.

"I don't know," he replied, looking at me quickly. "But I don't like it. Ichigo needs to work on his hollowfication. He doesn't need to be running around with the arrancar. Come on, Hiro." He turned, his coat billowing behind him. I sighed and followed him, scratching my neck as I did so. I swung my sword back and forth slowly as we trudged back to the warehouse and back to a waiting Hiyori.

"What happened?" the small girl shrieked, jumping Shinji. "Where's Ichigo?"

"I don't know," Shinji replied, easily pushing her off. "But it wasn't good. The arrancar attacked but then they just….vanished. It was strange. I don't like it." He shook his head, then looked at me. "I haven't seen you fight since you returned," he remarked, smirking slightly. "Want to?"

"That's what you think of in a situation like this?" I grumbled, frowning. I shuffled my feet, shifting my weight back and forth. "Do I have to?"

"Yes. Come on, Hiroko. Let's see if any of this training paid off." He grabbed my arm and pulled me to the underground training area, nearly smashing my face into the sand.

"I want to sleep!" I complained as Shinji faced me, sword held in front of him.

"Then beat me," he smirked.

"No releases? Only first stage of hollowfication?" I clarified.

Shinji rolled his eyes but nodded. "Fine." I twirled Awaitsume in front of me nervously, biting my lip. Shinji vanished and reappeared in front of me, slashing with his sword. I blocked it and stepped back, my eyes fixed on the blades. He turned the blade around and I exhaled slowly, turning my blade with it. Then Shinji disappeared again, forcing me to do the same. I reappeared and he was there, attacking me. I dodged his strikes and launched a few of my own, which were all blocked of course.

"You're getting faster," Shinji admitted, nodding. He pulled his hollow mask down over his face. "But you can't beat me like that."

"I know," I sighed, pulling my own black and white mask over my face. "I can't beat you at all." When I spoke my voice was warped, like the voice of my hollow.

"You sell yourself short. I've trained you well, Hiroko," Shinji replied, attacking me with more force. I couldn't speak because I was busy concentrating on dodging his blows and attacking him myself.

Minutes later both of us stood on the sand, finally still. I was panting lightly and there were whelps on my arms and a shallow cut on my face. "I've really missed having the shit beat out of me lately, you know," I growled, twirling Awaitsume in my hand. I hadn't released my sword at all, so it still looked like a traditional samurai sword.

"I know you have," Shinji laughed, resheathing his sword and shoving his hands in his pockets. He had a red mark on his face where I had hit him with my sword. Of course he wasn't bleeding at all. "I'm worried, Hiro," he informed me, leading me through the warehouse. I went back to my body and reentered it, sighing as I stood up and shook out my hair.

"Why are you worried?" I asked, falling into step with him as he left the warehouse. But I knew the answer to my own question. "Because the arrancar just left without causing any real damage."

Shinji nodded. "Yeah. They weren't really interested in the fight, it was just time consuming. I have a bad feeling about it." He sighed, looking around. "And I wonder where Ichigo went."

I shrugged, obviously not knowing the answer. "I felt his spiritual pressure when he was fighting," I remarked. "He's strong."

"Not strong enough to kill Aizen," Shinji retorted. "And that's what really matters. It makes no difference if he can kill a few arrancar when Aizen can always make more. No, Ichigo should be with us every day until winter so that we can maybe, _maybe_ train him well enough to kill that bastard."

"I have faith," I told the former soul reaper captain. "You've never failed at training anyone yet. Even me. You have a few more months-you'll be able to do it. I think he has potential, from what I felt today and from the training I've watched since yesterday." I gave Shinji a small smile.

"Man I hope you're right." He blinked at me. "Or else we're going to be in a lot of trouble.


	2. Chapter 2

Thank you so much K-chanLovesAnimeXD for my first review! Keep reviewing, because it gives me little hell butterflies. Ha. Get it. I made a joke pertaining to bleach.

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"We have a problem."

I looked up from the book I was reading, my eyes meeting Lisa's across the floor. She of course was reading one of her dirty books. I wasn't really into that, but whatever suited her fancy was fine by me.

Both of us looked up to see Shinji in the room, a dark look on his face. He's the one who had spoken.

"What is it?" Lisa asked, closing her book. She glanced at me as I did the same, folding my hands together in front of me as I looked at the blonde visored.

"Ichigo is gone," he practically growled. His eyes were dark and I could tell he was pissed. "He left last night and went to Hueco Mundo to save that girl. Orihime." He started pacing as Hiyori walked over and stood next to Lisa, frowning as well.

"He shouldn't have gone," she said dourly. "Not at the level he's at right now. There's no way he'll survive." She was completely serious now, and wasn't even hitting anyone.

"What do you want us to do?" Lisa asked, getting to her feet. I got to mine as well, uncertainly shifting my weight to the balls of my feet.

Shinji let out a deep sigh, blinking and glaring at the floor. "Someone's going to have to go get him."

"Not all of us though," Hiyori put in, walking closer to Shinji. "We don't want Aizen to think we're launching a full out attack on him. She looked over at Lisa, then at me. "Both of you will go. Along with Mashiro. Hopefully the three of you will be enough." She pulled on a glove and walked up to me, meeting my gaze. Sighing I walked over to my bag and pulled out long arm warmers that I pulled over my arms. I also wore a red tank top and black shorts. Out of my bag I pulled out a black belt with a large red jewel on the front and wrapped it around my waist so I could use it to carry my sword. Last I pulled on knee length flat black boots, and I walked back over to Hiyori, who was looking at me expectantly.

I nodded and she punched me, pushing my soul out of my body. I touched Awaitsume, my zanpakuto and looked back at Lisa. She was talking to Shinji and nodding while Mashiro was being beckoned by Hiyori.

"The three of you will use Kisuke Urahara's Garganta," Shinji informed us. "I think Ichigo took some of his friends with him to Hueco Mundo. You must get Ichigo Kurosaki out of there if he is still alive, but if you can you should get his friends as well. Orihime Inoue is important, but not as important as Ichigo. He is the one you should focus on rescuing. Lisa, you'll lead the mission." He turned and stepped outside. "Come on. I'll take you to Urahara."

Lisa looked at Mashiro and me. Both of us nodded at her and all four of us flash stepped away from the warehouse, toward a part of town I'd never explored.

Soon we stood in front of a small shop that sat almost in an alley. Truly it seemed to be almost indistinguishable from the darkness around it, and I probably never would have found it.

"Where are we?" I asked Mashiro. She smiled at me tensely. "A man named Kisuke Urahara runs this place. He's a good friend of Shinji and someone we can trust. He has the only way we can get to the Hollow World." She followed Lisa and I walked a step behind her.

"Oh. I see." I'd heard a few things about this Urahara man, but obviously I'd never met him. I'd never been to Karakura, and he'd never met up with the visoreds in the last two in a half years that I'd known of.

We walked into the shop and I looked around avidly. It appeared to be a candy store, but something was off about it. The candy all looked untouched. Then again, I had a hard time believing a soul reaper ran a simple candy store.

"So you're here to use my Garganta and get Ichigo Kurosaki back. Am I correct?" a blonde man asked after seeing Shinji and the rest of us.

"That's the plan, Kisuke," Shinji sighed. "Since that stupid kid ran off without completing his training. I want him back."

"Aren't you worried Aizen will get off his bum to come see why his former captain is knocking on his door?" the man inquired darkly.

Shinji growled. "I'm not going," he admitted. "Because of that reason. These three are going instead." He gestured at Lisa, Mashiro, and myself.

"I see. I hope they're enough," the soul reaper sighed. "Come on." He led us to an underground training area, much like the one under the warehouse. "It isn't perfect, the garganta," he remarked, as something began to appear in the middle of the training area. I watched as a black gate appeared in the air. Somehow I really didn't want to pass through it.

"That's fine," Shinji replied. "I trust these three. They'll be fine." He looked at me and frowned, looking a bit unsure.

"Shinji, I'm going to be fine," I promised before he could say anything or pull me off of the mission. "Don't doubt me!" I was excited and I really wanted to try my strength against one of the 'arrancar' I'd been hearing about.

"I don't doubt your resolve," the blonde visored promised. "But I don't want to get you killed. Maybe I'm wrong to send you on this-"

"-I think she'll be fine," Lisa suddenly cut in. I looked at her but she was staring at Shinji. "She's been with us for two and a half years now and you've been training her for that long. She's not a child anymore, Shinji," Lisa finished, pushing her glasses up on her nose.

Shinji met her gaze before letting out a breath. "Fine. But if anything happens to her, it's on you," he said, shoving his hands in his pockets. He turned away and kicked at the ground, muttering about stupid orange haired boys. I smiled at Lisa but she returned my look with one of seriousness, searching my dark red gaze.

"You'd better prove me right," she muttered, before stepping forward to the edge of the portal. "Shinji, we're ready to leave," she announced, touching her sword.

The blonde turned around and blinked. "Okay. Remember that Ichigo is the main target. Be careful, you three." He stepped back, nodding at us.

"Come on," Lisa ordered, and walked through the gate. Mashiro and I followed behind her.

This thing-the Garganta-was strange. We walked along a path that seemed to be made of light, and when I looked behind us I saw the path was falling away. That made me walk faster and I accidentally stepped on Mashiro's heel.

"Ow! Hiro, what's wrong with you?" the green haired girl yelped angrily, turning to look at me.

"The path is um…leaving," I squeaked in reply, walking beside her. She saw it as well and lengthened her stride, moving over so I could walk beside her.

"Lisa!" Mashiro called, making the former lieutenant turn and look behind her.

"Oh. Yes. The path is disappearing. I suggest that you speed up." She herself started jogging toward the large portal in front of us.

I looked at Mashiro and she returned the look with equal intensity. "Shall we run?" I asked plaintively.

"We shall," she nodded and both of us took off at a quick run down the lit up path. I looked behind us as it started disappearing faster, almost at our heels.

Mashiro yelled and pushed Lisa out of the way as we sped past her. "Stop panicking!" Lisa yelled, though she was running too.

"You stop running and maybe we will!" I yelled over my shoulder, seeing that Lisa had sped up and was right behind us.

"Shut up and just run!" she retorted, hand on her zanpakuto. What was that going to do? Was a sword going to make us a new path?

It didn't matter, though, because at that moment the portal loomed up in front of me and I leaped through it. Immediately the darkness disappeared and I was in the middle of a desert.

"This is Hueco Mundo?" I asked, straightening. Mashiro had appeared beside me, and suddenly something hit me in the back. I let out an 'oomf' and fell forward onto the sand.

"Sorry," muttered Lisa, getting up. She'd fallen on me when she came through the portal.

"No, it's fine. I live to be your mattress when you fall," I snorted, brushing the sand off of my clothes.

Mashiro laughed. "Someone woke up on the wrong side of the air mattress."

"Well maybe after this I'll get a real bed like the rest of you do. I deserve one you know," I retorted, watching Lisa as she walked in front of us and looked off into the distance. I took that moment to look around. It wasn't just a desert but a nocturnal one. The sand under my feet was white instead of brown, and when I looked around I saw there were no trees or rocks within sight. This place was totally barren. The moon shone down on the sand, and in the distance I did see a large palace. Or at least, that's what it appeared to be.

"We need to get there fast," Lisa said, folding her arms over her chest. "Do you two feel comfortable flash stepping there?" she asked both of us, but I knew she was really asking me.

I let out a sigh and rolled my eyes. "Lisa, I can do this!" I pleaded loudly. "Stop treating me like I'm a regular person! You know I can do this!" I stomped my foot on the ground to punctuate my point.

Lisa glanced at me and I saw she was frowning. "I know," she said quietly. "So come on." She disappeared and Mashiro followed suit. I smiled and took a step forward before flash stepping after the both of them. I was faster than I was strong, and I'd always been good at the flash step.

It took longer than I thought it would to get to the palace. It was huge and further away than I'd believed. "What is this place?" I panted when we stopped outside the wall.

"Las Noches," Mashiro informed me. "The only structure in Hueco Mundo. The arrancar are here, along with Aizen. And currently Ichigo Kurosaki and friends are here as well. Hmm." She squinted her eyes and frowned. "I sense…five spiritual pressures that don't belong me. Including that Orihime girl," she wrinkled her nose up and she truly was making a laughable face.

"Just because she's friends with Hachi doesn't mean you should hate the girl," I told Mashiro, smirking at her. My heart beat hard in my chest and my stomach seemed to be clenched in anxiety.

"Stop joking around, both of you," Lisa said quickly before Mashiro could reply. "We need to get Ichigo and his friends out of here. Mashiro, I want you to go where I can sense a strong soul reaper's spiritual pressure. There's a human there as well. I assume they're Ichigo's friends. I also sense an injured human and an injured soul reaper, but they don't appear to be fighting. Hiroko-"

"-Oh come _on_ Lisa!" I snapped, scowling. "Don't give me the shitty work! Let me go after Ichigo! I can feel the spiritual pressure of who he's fighting as well! Please, just let me prove that I can do this! Please, Lisa!" I really just wanted a chance to prove to them and to myself that I wasn't useless. "If Ichigo can fight the arrancar then I can too! I have some of the same powers as a soul reaper, and I'm a visored! Plus, Shinji's been training me for years!" I was speeding up to keep Lisa from talking. And I was rambling. "Come on, just-"

"-Fine," Lisa said through gritted teeth.

I stopped, looking at her with my mouth hanging open. "Really?" I asked. I hadn't expected her to give in. "I mean-thanks. I promise I'll be careful and-"

"I'll get the two down soul reapers and I'll be at your side soon," Lisa promised. Mashiro was frowning and shaking her head.

"I don't think this is a good idea, Lisa," she muttered. I glared at her and she put her hands up in defense. "I'm sorry, Hiro, but you've never been in a really tough fight before. I don't want you to get killed. Lisa, you shouldn't send her there."

Lisa was rubbing her forehead, frowning intently. "I just….I think we should let Hiro prove herself. And-" suddenly one of the foreign spiritual pressures spiked and Lisa's eyes widened. "We're out of time. Come on." She led us down into a tunnel and we flash stepped after her. Soon we were outside and when I looked up I found it was sunny.

"What the hell?" I murmured, looking up at the sky. How was it sunny in here?

"Look, Hiro, I'm giving you a chance," Lisa explained, rounding on me. She was frowning still and looked completely solemn. "Follow Ichigo's spiritual pressure. I'll be there after I pick up the two out of commission. "I won't be long." She flash stepped away.

"Please be careful, Hiro," Mashiro muttered, clapping me on the shoulder. "Shinji will kill us if we bring you back dead." She smiled at me reassuringly before flash stepping away as well.

I took a breath and let it out. "You've got this, Hiro," I told myself before focusing on Ichigo's waning spiritual pressure. I took off in a flash step toward it, and nearly tripped over big pieces of rubble.

Finally I arrived at the orange haired boy's location and when I did I frowned. There was a large hollow looking thing and a tall man with long black hair. His spiritual pressure was like a hollow but different somehow. Orihime Inoue was also standing back from the scene, and Ichigo was having the shit kicked out of him by the large hollow looking thing.

I winced when he received a harsh kick and was thrown back a few yards. Without thinking I lunged forward, unsheathing my sword and throwing it up in time to block another kick from the bull looking hollow.

"Who….you're one of the visoreds…." Ichigo choked out, trying to sit up.

"And the lucky one who's going to save your ass," I told him, pushing forward and applying enough pressure that the hollow was thrown back. I assumed it was a hollow, anyway, even though it's spiritual pressure was different from any other hollow I'd sensed. Maybe it too was an arrancar.

"Who are you, woman?" the black haired man snarled, taking a step forward and lifting his strange, double crescent moon blade.

"I'm Hiro, and I'm here to save this soul reaper." Unless I get my ass kicked into tomorrow, I added silently.


	3. Chapter 3

The black haired man growled deeply and swung his blade in an arc. "What is it with you females?" he hissed. "You're just a bunch of jumped up sluts trying to do a man's job. It makes me sick." He spit on the ground, scowling.

"So you must be gay then," I said in a snarky tone of voice. The thing above me moved and I jumped backward, grabbing Ichigo and pulling him to his feet. "I can't fight with you around me," I told him, flash stepping over to where Orihime Inoue stood with her hands over her mouth. "Please stay here so I don't kill you on accident." It was true. I was bad at keeping a fight to one area. Especially if I had to use my bankai.

"No…I can still fight," the orange haired boy growled, trying to get to his feet. I sighed, rolling my eyes.

"Shinji would murder me if something happened to you, so let me show you a little trick he showed me." He sat up and then got to his feet finally and that was perfect for me. I pointed a finger at him. "Bakudo sixty-one. Rikujōkōrō." Beams of light shot to Ichigo, trapping him in the center. He groaned and tried to move, but it wasn't happening. "Apparently I have a knack for that kido spell ," I said, shrugging. "So sit tight for me, okay?" With that I turned around, back toward the large arrancar that was edging toward me.

"So I think I'm supposed to say my name and threaten you now, right?" I asked, twirling my sword in my hand as I walked toward the two offending creatures.

The black haired one snorted. "Why would I give a fuck who you are, bitch? Tesra is going to kill you and rip your body apart. It would be a waste for me to know who you are. Tesra!" he pointed one long, bony finger at me. "Get her out of my sight! Kill her!"

The blonde-bull-hollow-thing roared and ran toward me. I held my ground, holding my sword out in front of me. "Rend, Awaitsume," I murmured, keeping my eyes on the arrancar rushing me. My sword brightened and was encased in silver light. That same light streamed away from it, wrapping around my right arm and forming a round shield that looked like a crescent had been cut from the top. The shield was silver and bright, almost having a reflective surface. There were etchings on it as well. In my left hand I now held an Athenian type blade. The sword was shorter than typical ones, and narrowed in the middle before widening to a triangular point. The hilt was curled and very unlike a Japanese katana. Instead it curled over my hand, protecting my skin. The blade was very shiny and near reflective as well.

I took a breath and dodged the arrancar, ending up behind him and in a good position. I leaped forward and slashed the thing's leg, making him bellow and spin around. This time he lunged at me and dipped his great head, pointing his horns at me and charging.

"Oh great," I sighed, bending my knees. When he got close enough I leapt up and landed on his skeletal mask, jumping forward and burying my sword in his shoulder. He bellowed loudly and tried to throw me, but I jumped down, bringing my sword down the left side of the arrancar's body. It made him scream all the more and he stumbled backward, pulling away from my blade.

This was my chance. I rushed forward and knelt down, preparing to jump again. I had expected the arrancar to be blinded with pain for a little bit longer, but instead he suddenly kicked at me, landing the kick on my face. Thrown backward, I yelped and landed on my back in the sand.

"Shit!" I hissed, reaching up with my right arm to touch my face. My nose was gushing blood and I felt my cheekbone swelling. It could have been worse. But I had to make this fight come out my way before Lisa came. She would be pissed if she saw me on the ground. I was supposed to be proving that I could do this! I growled and lurched to my feet, gripping my sword tighter.

"This is so over!" I snapped, letting my hollow mask appear over my head. It was different from regular masks because it actually formed the face of a cat along with ears instead of just being a flat mask. There were black and purple stripes on it, along with purple dots under the eyeholes.

I pulled it over my face and immediately felt my hollow's power welling up with my own. I disappeared in a blindingly fast flash step and appeared in the air in front of the arrancar. I slashed at his chest and slammed my foot into his mask, kicking him backward. The arrancar roared again, but this time I wasn't giving him a chance to retaliate. I slammed my shield into his neck sideways, under the mask and he reeled. Last I delivered one more bruising kick to his chest and finally he crashed backward onto his back, not moving but still breathing.

I dropped to the ground and lifted my mask, blinking my eyes and shaking my head as I looked at the black haired man who I assumed was also an arrancar. "So what was that about me being a jumped up slut just trying to do a man's job?" I asked in a faux polite voice. "Because it seems to me that I just kicked the ass of your man."

The arrancar growled, hand tightening on his blade. "Well it seems I'm going to get the honor of taking another bitch out of the world today. I guess I will permit you to know my name, since I will be the one to kill you. I'm Nnoitra Jiruga, fifth espada in Aizen's army."

I looked at him blankly, tipping my head to the side. "Okay, well you have a fucked up joke of a name and I have no idea what an espada is. Are you an arrancar, or just a reject of life?"

Nnoitra's mouth opened and his violet eyes narrowed even more. "You must be kidding me," he snarled angrily. "You dare come here and not even know what an espada is? You really are stupid, girl. It will be a blessing to the soul reapers when I kill you. An espada is one of the most powerful arrancar in Hueco Mundo. There are ten of us and I am number five. That means you have no hope of beating me."

Blinking I looked at the arrancar who I'd just downed. "Was he an espada too?" I asked dryly.

"No! He was-is-my useless fraccion. He doesn't compare to me in any way! I am ten times more powerful than that fool!" He spit on the sand and I grimaced. Nasty.

"Oh. Well I'm Hiroko Mikazuki and I'm a visored in the army of Hiroko I guess." I smirked at him with only a bit of humor. "And so I guess I should wipe the sand with your ass now."

"Ha!" the arrancar laughed, swinging his huge blade. "You really think you can even come close to beating me? Well let me tell you something-" he suddenly disappeared in his own type of flash step. When he reappeared he as standing directly beside me and my eyes widened at how fast he was. "-There's no way you can even touch me." He swung his huge weapon at me and I barely was able to block it. I gasped as it smashed against my shield, jarring my entire arm and shoulder. He wasted no time in darting away from me and bringing his blade around again. I again blocked it but this time my teeth jarred with the impact. We continued that way for a few minutes, with me doing everything in my power just to block the huge blade.

I realized I wasn't getting anywhere this way. I had to do something. Again I pulled my mask over my head and immediately I was fast enough to block the attacks with more ease. "That's more like it," I sighed in my hollowfied voice.

The arrancar frowned and stepped back. "You're spiritual pressure has changed," he remarked. "You smell like a hollow. You're strange, girl. But no more strange than that one," he waved his arm at Ichigo. "And he was barely strong enough to take down that stupid sexta."

"Sex….ta?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. "Like…sex?" My mind was going a mile a minute, and everything I thought of was dirty.

"No you idiot! Sexta! The sixth espada!" Nnoitra rolled his eye and twitched his grip on his blade. "When I kill you I'll be doing everyone a favor by ridding the world of your stupidity," he spat. Suddenly he disappeared and reappeared in front of me, making me gasp. I threw up my shield to block his attack, but his crescent shaped blade got under my shield and he threw me into the air before delivering a kick to my ribs that sent me flying backward.

When I hit the ground I rolled into something solid. Opening my eyes, I found I was lying next to the blue haired man who was all but out cold. He blinked, looking toward me with something akin to massive confusion. "Who…you?" he murmured as I sat up.

"Uh, I'm Hiro," I said distractedly. "But I can't really talk right now. Trust me, I'd love to help you, but you kind of smell like a hollow and I'm getting my ass kicked right now-" I had started to get up but he grabbed my arm and his eyes had narrowed.

"He's going to kill you," the man promised, a cruel gleam in his eyes. "I promise you that. It was a mistake coming here, girl." With that last statement he dropped my arm and closed his eyes again.

"Well thanks for the moral support," I muttered, finally getting to my feet. But he was right. I couldn't kill this guy. And I wasn't sure my bankai would really help anything. I wouldn't be able to use it for more than ten minutes, and after it was done I had nothing left to resort to. It was time for some dirty tricks. I snapped my fingers and the light cage around Ichigo disappeared. Well, now that was taken care of. Ichigo fell to the ground, glaring at me.

"You're right," I sighed, slouching my shoulders and dropping my head. "There's just no way I can beat you…I'm so useless."

The arrancar laughed. I was hoping his pride would overtake his intelligence-what little there was. "I was waiting for you to realize that. Well then, I'll kill you quickly, bitch." He walked forward toward me and I stayed where I was, my face dripping blood and my ribs aching.

"What are you doing, girl?" Ichigo yelled. "Run! Don't let him kill you!" As he spoke I let my mask dissipate. I took a deep, shuddering breath, narrowing my eyes at the ground. I watched his shadow come closer, until finally he stopped in front of me.

"Any last words, girl?" the idiot spat, lifting his double crescent blade.

"Just three," I said, looking up at him solemnly. Then I smirked and pointed my finger at him, quickly shouting, "Bakudo sixty-one. Rikujōkōrō!" Light shot around him to form a cage and he howled in anger.

"This won't hold me for long, bitch!" he screamed at me.

"Yeah, I figured," I told him, lunging forward. I lifted my shield and bashed him across the face with it. He just growled at me. "You were supposed to pass out!" I shrieked, bringing my arm back again. He was beginning to break the restraints. I panicked and smacked him with my shield again. This time he slumped over. "Oh thank Kami," I sighed, stepping back and snapping. The light restraints disappeared, and at that moment a miracle happened.

Lisa appeared. She had one boy slung over her shoulder and a girl hanging from her arm.

"Let's go!" I yelped, running away from the espada and going to Ichigo. The girl-Orihime-had been healing him. "We got what we came for so let's-" I froze when someone appeared right in front of me. He had scruffy brown hair and a mask fragment that looked like a lower jaw around his neck. "Go…" I finished lamely, eyes widening.

"I'm afraid you won't be taking the girl with you," the man apologized, scratching his neck. "I must take her back with me." His eyes surveyed mine and he looked at the espada I'd just knocked out. "You showed him mercy when he would not have done the same to you," the man commented.

"So you're going to reward me by letting us go with Orihime?" I asked hopefully, taking a step back from him. His spiritual pressure was immense and I wasn't even going to lift a finger to attempt to do anything. Well…then again. "But I get it," I slumped my shoulders again. "I knew we shouldn't have come…it's just…Bakudo sixty-one! Riku-" I began, but the man grabbed my hair and swung me around, causing me to scream at the agony that was my scalp.

"Don't try that trick with me, girl," he sighed. "It may have worked with the quinta, but not me. Now." He walked over to Orihime. "Truly, I hate assignments like this," he informed her before grabbing her and disappearing. I got up, rubbing my head and frowning in pain. Then a groan made me look around to see the fifth espada was twitching.

"Time to leave!" I yelped, running over to Lisa. My zanpakuto transformed back into just a samurai sword and I slammed it into its sheath at my waist.

"ORIHIME!" Ichigo screamed, looking around. In the distance I could feel a garganta opening.

"We need to leave. Mashiro is already at the garganta," Lisa snapped. She looked at Ichigo, then at me. "Here. Take her," she set the girl on the ground and I scooped up her small form in my arms. Then Lisa walked over to Ichigo and hit him in the head. He passed out quite easily. "Come on!" she ordered, and took off at a flash step. I followed her, heading back to the garganta and the only way back to the world of the living.


	4. Chapter 4

"What the hell?" I murmured as we walked out of Urahara's shop. "What's happening?"

"Aizen," growled Shinji, shaking his head. "He decided to come here and destroy Karakura." He touched the hilt of his sword. "He brought the other two captains and some of his espada. Not only that, but five of the captains stayed behind to protect Soul Society." He frowned, looking around. "This is a terrible day indeed." He looked at Lisa. "Are you still okay?" she had a broken arm but that was all.

"Yes. I can still fight. And by the way, Hiroko lived up to my expectations," she added, glancing at me.

I felt myself smile slightly, and I looked away from them. Mashiro had left to go to the other visoreds. They were with the soul reapers instead of at the warehouse. My body was there, but why would I worry? There was a barrier around it and it wasn't like anyone was strictly out to destroy my body.

"I knew she would," Shinji nodded and punched me in the shoulder. "After all, I didn't want to go save your ass, Hiro," he chuckled.

"And I'm ready to fight again," I told him seriously. "I'm going to help you, Shinji. I'm going to prove-"

"-You don't need to prove anything to me," the older visored said. "But if you want to fight for Karakura town I won't stop you." He gave me a quick grin. "I'm going to rejoin the soul reapers. Lisa, I want you to come with me. Hiro, if you could check on the people you rescued one more time and then come, that would be great."

"No problem," I replied quickly, dipping my head in acquiescence. I turned and walked back into the shop, hand on my ribs. I was still able to fight but my ribs hurt pretty badly. At least I'd cleaned my face up already.

I walked back to where one older man was cleaning up the humans and watched for a moment. "Are they going to be okay?" I asked. A soul reaper was there as well. He was young, with medium length black hair.

"Oh-yes-they'll be fine," he stammered, smiling at me. "There's no need to worry, miss."

Giving him a smile, I bobbed my head once. "Okay. Thanks." I turned and walked back out of the shop. I was preparing to flash step to where I could sense a storm of spiritual pressure, but suddenly I heard a rumble to the west and turned my head in that direction. Then there was a cracking sound. What was that, I wondered.

Oh shit.

I realized what away what was that direction. The warehouse. And more importantly, my body. That shattering was the barrier. I felt like screaming as I took off at a terrifying fast flash step, hollowfying to make myself even faster. This couldn't be happening. It had to be a coincidence, right?

I stopped outside the warehouse and lifted my hollow mask. My face had paled with fear at what I saw. It was the blonde arrancar that I'd knocked out.

"It's about time you got here," he murmured, arms folded over his chest. "Master Nnoitra is waiting," he gestured with his chin into the warehouse.

I pulled my sword from my belt and ran inside, only to stop suddenly at what I saw. The fifth espada was there, standing over my body. Worse, he held his double crescent blade to my body's throat.

"What are you doing?" I screamed as I met his gaze. "You can't-"

"-Oh, but I can," he cackled. "That was a cheap trick you pulled on me, so let me return the favor." Without waiting he suddenly slit my throat. I felt a jolt and doubled over, my eyes wide.

"SHINJI!" I screamed, not knowing who else to call. I could feel him getting closer. "SHINJI!" What could I do other than watch myself die? I fell to my knees beside my body, completely ignoring the espada standing above me. My hands fluttered in front of me and I was completely at a loss. Somehow I figured that jumping back into my body was a bad idea. I looked at the arrancar again. "You can't-you can't do this-"

"-Funny, because it appeared I just did. I'd considered killing you for real, but this is much more entertaining. Tesra!" he yelled, opening a garganta. "We're leaving!"

The blonde arrancar walked back into the building, smirking at me. "It is unwise to fuck with master Nnoitra," he informed me, walking closer to the espada. "Perhaps now you understand your mistake-"

"HIRO!" Shinji was here. He ran into the warehouse just as a garganta opened and the espada stepped into it.

"Enjoy your death," he cackled before disappearing into it. Shinji had fell to my side, but I wasn't looking at my body anymore.

"Hiroko-I'm sorry-look-it's not a big-HIRO NO!" Shinji yelled when I lunged to my feet and sprinted toward the garganta. "NO!" he yelled, getting to his feet. The garganta was shrinking, and I barely made it through before it snapped closed behind me.

"I'm going to kill you!" I shrieked, jumping out the other side of the portal. I fell into the blonde arrancar, who fell to the ground under me. His eyes widened as I lifted my sword, but a sudden kick to my face knocked me off of the man.

I groaned and opened my eyes to see the fifth espada standing above me and frowning. "Stupid bitch," he growled, watching me sit up. My head was spinning and I felt nauseous. "You're really testing my patience. I swear that if you make one more move I'll kill you permanently." He swung his blade around so it was inches from my chest.

Feeling myself breathing hard, I stared at him with wide eyes. When I had been kicked I'd lost my sword, and now it was a few feet away from me on the sand. My eyes were wide as I stared upward at Nnoitra. Was he going to kill me? Well, kill me again? I was terrified. I actually felt like passing out, but adrenaline was coursing through my body.

"That's what I thought," the espada snorted, turning. "Come on, Tesra," he called to the blonde arrancar. The latter looked at me for a moment before turning and following his master. I watched them, and minutes later they had faded out of my view.

Now what was I supposed to do? I hadn't thought of the fact that there was no way for me to get home. I stood up and looked around, nearly falling back down from the pain in my head. He'd kicked me hard. When I bent down to get my sword I almost vomited at the nausea from moving too fast.

"I'm such an idiot," I muttered, looking around. The desert seemed endless in every direction. Was it? Was it truly endless? I shuddered. That was a terrible thought. In one direction I could see the shape of the palace-Las Noches-and knew that I was definitely not going in that direction.

With a sigh I started walking in the opposite direction. Things really couldn't be worse right now. My head throbbed and every step I took sent a bolt of nausea through my body. After no more than fifty steps I realized I needed to sit down. Finding a rock, I slid down against it, pulling my sword out from my belt and laying it at my side. "You're going to get through this," I murmured as I stared at the moon. Now that the excitement was over, a feeling of despair was overtaking me. Reaching up, I swiped a tear from my face. I wasn't going to cry. I wasn't going to let myself break down.

That lasted all of the next thirty seconds. Then I bit out a sob and buried my face in my hands. I was dead. My body was gone and I couldn't return to it. What was I supposed to do now? I wasn't a soul reaper, and the visoreds were back in the world of the living. I was stuck in Hueco Mundo. If something didn't kill me within the next few days, hunger or thirst would. I wasn't a hollow, so I didn't subsist off of souls.

"I'm such an idiot," I grumbled to myself, leaning my head back against the stone. My face was dirty and tear tracks carved paths through the blood and grime. "I shouldn't have followed him." I felt my eyes closing as another pang of dizziness and nausea went through my body.

I wasn't sure if it was sleep overtaking me or my body just seeking rest, but either way it seemed I couldn't fight the feeling of blacking out. I was almost gone when I heard footsteps, but I figured it was my brain hallucinating. That or I was about to die.

"You shouldn't be sleeping here, princess," someone growled softly. "I would think that is common knowledge unless you're trying to die." Someone touched my jaw. "He sure beat the shit out of you," the voice remarked. I could barely hear him, and I certainly couldn't open my eyes. For all I knew, I was dreaming. "Maybe….was…..you." Now I could only hear every few words. I was dreaming, I knew, so I let myself slip into unconsciousness without any more struggling. My last thought was if I would wake up at all.


End file.
